The Toyota Previa, also known as the Toyota Estima (エスティマ) in Japan and the Toyota Tarago in Australia, is an MPV or multi-purpose vehicle (known as a minivan in North America) produced by Toyota Motor Corporation since 1990. The name "Previa" comes from the Italian for "preview," as Toyota saw the first Previa as a vehicle that would preview technologies used in future minivans. Along with the Toyota Sienna, Previa is the largest minivan in toyota's range, located above the Wish.

The first generation, introduced in 1990, had only one sliding side door for the rear passengers. It featured a unique mid-engined platform, where the inline four cylindergasoline-powered engine was installed almost flat (at a 75-degree angle), beneath the front seats. Installing the engine in this configuration allowed moderately easy access to the spark plugs, which were located underneath a panel on the upper left-side of the vehicle, after removing the front passenger seat, the carpet, and an access panel. All engine-driven accessories, such as the alternator, power steering pump, air conditioning compressor, and radiator fan, are accessible from the front hood, driven off the front of the engine by an accessory driveshaft, and is known as the Supplemental Accessory Drive System, or "SADS." This allows for even front/rear weight distribution, which benefits ride quality and handling. However, it also prevents the installation of a larger engine, while the cost could not be relayed by sharing the platform with other vehicles.Template:Citation needed

The first generation Previa was 4,750 mm (187.0 in) long and 1,803 mm (71.0 in) wide. In Japan, two smaller versions, the Toyota Estima Lucida and Toyota Estima Emina, were produced, which were approximately 110 mm (4.3 in) narrower and 70 mm (2.8 in) shorter than the standard model. The reason for the difference between the smaller Emina and Lucida models is the vehicle tax system in Japan, which is based on the product of length and width of the car. The smaller variants fall in to a lower tax band. The Estima Emina and Estima Lucida were also available with a 2.2 litre diesel engine (3C-T and 3C-TE).Template:Citation needed

The first generation Previa was available in both rear- and all-wheel drive versions (called All-Trac) and powered by a 135 hp (101 kW) JIS (99 kW) 4-cylinder 2.4-litre fuel injection engine. Available with a 4-speed automatic or 5-speed manual gearbox, this Previa also seated seven or eight people, with three seating configurations offered (North America only received the seven passenger configurations, however). All configurations have a driver and front passenger seat forward, and a three-seat bench seat at the rear that splits and folds flat against the sides of the cabin. The 8-seat configuration contains a 2/1 split swiveling bench seat in the middle row, while the 7-seat configurations contain either two independently swiveling captain's chairs (referred to as "Quad Seating"), in the middle row or a two seat bench offset towards the driver's side. The third row is also better upholstered in the 7-seat version. It was available with either 4-wheel disc brakes or traditional front disc/rear drum brake setup, with Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS) as an option.Template:Citation needed

United States

In the United States, the Previa was sold from 1991 through 1997. It was imported from Japan to compete with Chrysler Corporation's successful Dodge Caravan minivan, and its twins Chrysler Town and Country and Plymouth Voyager. The Previa quickly became a common vehicle in the US, despite its relatively high price and poor fuel economy mainly due to the popularity of Japanese vehicles in the United States at a time when domestic vehicles were perceived to be of inferior quality. The mid-engine design proved to have a special weakness – the inability to increase engine size, which proved a significant problem as American drivers were used to having more power; the Dodge/Plymouth/Chrysler models were sold with available V6 engines. Starting in 1994, Toyota solved this problem by offering a Roots-type supercharger with air-to-air intercooler, providing 6psi of boost (these models were called the "S/C"), bringing the engine power up to a competitive 160 hp (120 kW). Initially, the S/C engine was only available as an option on the LE in 1994 and all models in 1995. For 1996, the normally aspirated engine was discontinued, and the S/C became the standard engine on all trim levels. The United States version of the Previa was discontinued after the 1997 model year, replaced by the more traditionally designed, front-wheel-drive, U.S.-designed and -built, Camry-based Sienna. A few Americans have obtained the newer Previa model (and first generation Japan-spec Estimas),Template:Citation needed but the U.S. DOT and EPA restrictions against "grey-market" import vehicles are very stringent.Template:Citation needed

Netherlands

In the Netherlands, the Previa the first generation was marketed there between 1991 and 1998. The only engine available was a 2.4-litre 4-cylinder engine. Trim levels were base (later renamed to i denoting an injection engine), GL, GLi and GXi. The 2.2-litre diesel version was a popular grey import.Template:Citation needed

Australia and New Zealand

In Australia, the Tarago (Previa and Estima in New Zealand) was offered in GL/GLI, GLS, and GLX forms with 7-8 passenger seating from 1991- current models
In addition to the Australian market, there were various special edition models available, which varied in trim levels. These include the RV (either 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic with 4WD), commemorative Rugby World Cup editions and Getaway. Feature-wise, all of the special edition models are marketed between the base GLI and GLX models. Template:Citation needed

When the later-style update models were released in Australia, the top of the line GLS model was renamed "Ultima" and the Getaway became a mainstay trim level, being renamed Getaway II.Template:Citation needed

Philippines

Toyota Motors Philippines offered the Previa in the mid-1990s before the first-generation model was discontinued. In recent years, pre-owned Lucidas and Eminas have been imported from Japan and converted to left-hand-drive before being sold in the gray market. These converted imports still retain their left-side sliding rear doors.Template:Citation needed

Additional notes

The 5-speed manual Previas (North American models) were made from 1991 through 1993; none of these has a supercharger.[1]

Starting in 1992, Previas (North American models) came with a driver's side air bag and third brake-light with dual airbags becoming standard on 1994–97 models.Template:Citation needed

1992–1997 North American Previa models also came with a swivel feature on the optional middle-row captain's chairs; the 1991 had fixed optional captain's chairs.Template:Citation needed

Available on Previas outside the U.S., was an ice-maker/refrigerator that doubled as a beverage heater called the Hot/Cool Box.Template:Citation needed

The supercharged engine is different from the normally aspirated engine, owing to a slight decrease in compression ratio. The supercharger is engaged on-demand by an electromagnetic clutch, based on input from the engine management system computer (the Engine Control Unit, or ECU).Template:Citation needed

Previas have optional dual moonroofs: A power horizontal-sliding only glass moonroof above the middle row of passengers, and a pop-up glass moonroof above the front seats.Template:Citation needed

Previas were also the first van to pass all US safety standards as pertaining to front impact, driver air bag, center-mounted brake light, ABS, daylights, etc.Template:Citation needed

Gas mileage is below average (11-13L/100 km or 18.1-21.4mpg city, 10-11L/100 km or 21.4-23.5mpg highway); the small 4-cyl engine needs to work a bit harder owing to the power to weight ratio of the vehicle, compared with today's 6-cyl engines. The addition of the supercharger slightly improves power at the expense of slightly higher fuel consumption.Template:Citation needed

The Previa gives a practically omniscient view, excluding the pillars behind the front doors. This also turns the van into a greenhouse, accumulating extreme heat in a short period of time, although solar control glass later became an option, to help alleviate the problem.Template:Citation needed

The front passenger seat must be removed to check to perform a tune up because there is not enough room to remove plug wires.Template:Citation needed

When the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tested the 1996 model in the offset frontal crash test, it revealed many safety problems: the cabin structure was unstable, the steering wheel moved upward all the way to the windshield, the lap belt tore which allowed the dummy to end up in a partially reclining position, and there were high forces on both of the lower legs, in which the IIHS evaluated it "Poor".[2]

The first generation Previa was sold outside the United States until 2000, when a new dynamically designed front wheel drive second generation replaced it. The second generation was not available in North America. The North American market received the Toyota Sienna. The second generation Previa had a slightly longer wheelbase (2900 mm) and was both narrower (1790 mm) and lower (1770 mm) than the first one; it switched to FF layout and was based on the Camry platform. It was produced with passenger doors on both sides and offered space for up to six, seven or eight passengers and, as with the first generation, was sold as the Estima in Japan and as the Tarago in Australia. The range available in Australia was the GLi, GLX and Ultima. The Ultima version was targeted as a competitor of the Chrysler's Plymouth Voyager.

Models sold on the European markets were available with both gasoline and diesel-powered 4-cylinder engines. The diesel engine was a 2.0 L 1CD-FTV with 116 hp (87 kW) and the gasoline-powered one a 2.4 L 2AZ-FE with 156 hp (116 kW). Both models featured a 5-speed manual transmission as the part of standard equipment, while a 4-speed automatic was available as an option on gasoline-powered model.

Australian models were only available with the 2.4 L petrol engine and a 4-speed automatic.

In Japan, a 3.0L V6 and a hybrid version of the Estima were available.

First generation Estima Hybrid

The first generation Estima Hybrid employed the Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive and used a single electric motor and a mechanical CVT in its transmission and had been on sale in Japan since June 2001. It was considered to be the world's first hybrid minivan.[3]

The third generation was introduced in 2006 in the Japanese and Australian markets as Estima and Tarago, respectively, and as Previa elsewhere. Features include an available second-generation Hybrid Synergy Drive drivetrain, automatic parallel and back-in parking, track-mounted second row reclining seats with footrests, and power-folding split third row seats. It was facelifted in 2009.[4]G-BOOK was added to the list of optional features.

As with the previous generation, the Australian version of the automobile continued to use a 2.4LI4 engine. In February 2007, a 3.5L V6 engine ( 202 kW (271 hp), 340 N·m (250 ft·lbf) torque) became available in order for the automobile to remain competitive against its main rivals in Australia, the international Honda Odyssey, the Kia Carnival/Sedona, and the Hyundai iMax. The 2.4L engine was widely criticized for lacking torque. Known as the Toyota Tarago in Australia, it has been the most popular people mover for 3 decades now[5] and continues to be the highest seller in Australia.

In some markets such as Hong Kong and Taiwan, Toyota announced the V6 Previa 3.5L in January 2007.

The Previa continues to be excluded from North America as the locally produced Sienna occupies that market.

Notable about this generation was its absence in Europe. In many parts of the continent, the price setter in this segment has, since the late 1990s, been a joint venture vehicle produced in Palmela, Portugal by Ford Europe and Volkswagen, the Ford Galaxy/Volkswagen Sharan/SEAT Alhambra. By 2004, the second generation Galaxy/Sharan was coming to the end of its model life and run-out versions were heavily discounted. Competitors found themselves responding to the discounts or losing market share. In European markets Toyota-branded vehicles often achieve a price premium, but scope for this is not unlimited. Ford Europe's third generation Galaxy, launched in 2006, was also aggressively priced, which offers one clue as to why Toyota ended Previa sales in Europe, where healthier margins are available on smaller slightly nimbler minivans and in the still hugely lucrative luxury four wheel drive segment.

Even though no current MPV of this size is sold Toyota Europe, much of its market territory it once occupied has been partially filled by the new Toyota Versocompact MPV since March 2009.

Second generation Estima Hybrid

The second generation Estima Hybrid, currently only sold in Japan and Hong Kong, uses a drivetrain very similar to the Lexus RX400h with two electric motors - one for the front wheels plus a second, rear-mounted electric motor driving the rear wheels for four-wheel drive capability.